Labour is making good on promise to shift power from Whitehall to Town Halls

16 December 2024, 15:00

The publication of the government’s English Devolution White Paper today marks a positive step in the shifting of powers from Whitehall to Town Halls.

England is a country marked by deep and persistent inequalities in health, wealth, power, and opportunity. There is a four-year gap in healthy life expectancy between the North of England and the South East and the UK is the most regionally unequal country in the OECD by income. For too long, local places have been held back; locally controlled public spending has fallen by an average of around £1,300 per person in real terms since 2009/10.

In a country where deep inequalities dictate your life expectancy, earning potential, and access to power based on where you live, devolution is a promise that must be delivered.

Taking power and resources out of Westminster and placing them in the hands of local leaders who know their areas best is vital for remaking our public services so that they work for people locally, for unlocking opportunity and potential to make sure that all places can contribute to economic growth and drive national prosperity, and in bringing power closer to communities to give them a voice and help restore trust in politics.

The advent of a transparent, flexible devolution framework as set out in the White Paper marks an important shift in English regional devolution and is something that IPPR North has long called for. Replacing backroom negotiations with devolution by default and a ladder that helps to lift areas up offers a solid foundation upon which our regions can be truly empowered.

Getting devolution right means focussing on the things that will deliver outcomes that people can feel. To do so, it is essential that local leaders have the full box of tools needed to deliver for their areas. New powers for mayors over strategic planning and transport infrastructure are positive. Going forward, local powers should also include fiscal levers like the ability to be able to implement tourist taxes to fuel local growth.

Democratic accountability is also important. As devolution progresses and local government is reorganised, there is a need to ensure that the voices of local people can be heard and local communities empowered.

Delivering meaningful and lasting devolution could define this government’s legacy. Today’s White Paper provides a solid foundation upon which future progress can be built over the coming months and years.

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Ryan Swift is a Research Fellow at IPPR North.

He’s on Bluesky: @ryanswift93.bsky.social and X: @RyanSwift93

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